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E-mail Xinhua, February 19, 2024
Chinese short track speed skater Sun Long, representing Team Jilin, clinched another two golds at the 14th National Winter Games on Sunday, after finishing first in the men's 1,000m and the men's 5,000m relay, respectively.
He also claimed the men's 1,500m title using the "Rabbit Tactic" on Friday and won over Olympic champion Ren Ziwei, Lin Xiaojun, and Liu Shaoang to dominate the men's 500m final on Saturday.
"I strive to stay calm, keep focused, and achieve the best on the rink," the 23-year-old has been gaining momentum.
As the "Rabbit Tactic" is frequently employed in short track speed skating, Sun believed that the National Winter Games presented an ideal opportunity to experiment with this strategy.
"The men's 1,500m medalists at the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Dresden last week finished in slightly over two minutes and 11 seconds. I am eager to see if I can reach that level as a competitive skater on the international stage," Sun revealed.
The men's 5,000m relay at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games was a painful memory for Sun, who fell during the final, resulting in the team's fifth-place finish. He issued an apology on social media after the competition to his teammates, coaches, fans, families, and friends.
"I reflected on my performance and continued to improve myself after the Winter Olympics." Sun has been getting stronger both mentally and physically in the last two years.
Besides the four golds, Sun also took a silver with teammates in the 2,000m mixed team relay at the National Winter Games.
"I have proved myself at the National Games, which is a new start for me. In the next stage, I will concentrate on international events and work together with my teammates to top the podium," he noted. "It is a common goal of our athletes to hear China's national anthem played in the venue."
During the National Winter Games, many skaters shared their aspirations for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
"For me, I will make concrete efforts to prepare for the Winter Olympics, complete my training plan step by step, and perform great teamwork," Sun said.
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